the songs of our hearts
by czqy
Summary: Keith was no musician. He'd tinkered with homemade kalimbas here and there, but that was the extent of it. He was nothing like Lance, who seemed to breathe music as he did air.


Keith didn't have many memories from when he was young, but he could distinctly remember the sound of tinkling metal, creating a melody that'd lull him to sleep. He dreamed about it, sometimes. And in every one of them, he would reach out with his tiny hand to touch the keys, which were still longer than his own.

He made his own kalimbas… after. They were nothing fancy—just pieces of scrap metal on whatever surface he could attach them to. He was sure that to a trained ear it would sound out of tune, but he was always out of place too, so it worked out fine. It didn't have to be exact anyways, he just liked having something to play with while thinking. He wasn't a musician.

Lance, though. Lance lived and breathed music, as much as he lived and breathed piloting. Once, in the earlier days, the team had just completed a mission and was heading back to where the castle was stationed, when a low hum came over the intercom. At first, Keith thought it was just static, or something interfering with the signals, but then the sound became more pronounced. Words were formed. And that was when it hit. Someone was singing.

Keith couldn't immediately decipher who it was; he thought it may have been Hunk, but then he heard the Yellow Paladin's voice over the line, saying, "Ooh, that's good. I haven't heard you sing in a while, Lance." His words were met with silence, and, a moment later, the sound of something hitting a surface, and Lance yelping in pain.

That garnered some laughter from everyone, but after making sure he was actually okay, they settled down. No one spoke for some time, and when the awkwardness in the atmosphere reached its peak, Lance muttered out an apology, saying the tenseness was his fault. Everyone hurried to assure him that it wasn't, not at all.

"Bro," Hunk was first, "it was _nice_ to hear some singing. And your voice? It's smoother than the butter I use in my recipes."

Pidge was next. "He's right. It reminded me of a radio; it kind of makes me feel like I'm home, you know?"

"The team has no complaints, Lance. And if you would like to continue singing, you're welcome to do so. Like the others said, you're good, and it's a piece of home." After Shiro's conclusion, there were sounds of agreement, and a thanks from Lance, who sounded shier than Keith had ever heard.

Keith didn't say anything. Rather, he couldn't. Lance's voice had seriously caught him off guard. The others were absolutely right, he sounded amazing, but there was something else. Something Keith couldn't name. It wasn't that the sounds were so raw and beautiful—Keith knew how to describe that. Melodic. Full of emotion. Harmonious. If he had to try, it had to do with the fact Lance had been singing to himself, like it was a subconscious thing. It made Keith think of his own instrument, and how he would fiddle with it when trying to figure something out. Still, he didn't know what to call Lance's thing. But, he did know how it made him feel.

Whole. Warm. Wanted.

* * *

The Paladins, sans Keith, all encouraged Lance the first time, but definitely came to regret that at certain moments later on.

Sometimes, after exhausting battles, where they were barely holding onto consciousness, except otherwise unharmed, Lance would start belting at the top of his voice through the intercoms. Where he summoned the energy from, no one knew, but none of them wanted to hear the screams and vocal metal guitar riffs. None of their protests then deterred the boy though, he just carried on as if he'd never heard them in the first place.

Other times, when they were heading into a mission, or just travelling to a new destination, Lance would sing songs that could only be described as, well, memey. Some of the tunes had multiple singers, and Lance would alter his voice to sing all the parts because no one would join him. Eventually though, despite complaining, Hunk and Pidge would take part, singing with gusto at the top of their lungs. Even Shiro would be convinced to sing a couple of lines. Keith didn't know any of the songs, so he could never participate, but he was content with just listening.

However, even with four voices, Keith could only hear Lance. It was as if his ears were tuned to his sound. And after phoebs of listening to him sing, he could start to pick out little details too. He learnt that Lance had a slight accent—sometimes his Ls and Rs were switched, and sometimes he would drop the Ss or Ds in words. The way he sung also reflected his mood at the time. Keith could tell when he was really happy, he could almost _hear_ the corners of Lance's lips quirk up into a smile. He could identify a bubbling energy inside the Blue Paladin when he was really hyped up, he could decipher the cheekiness when he wanted to annoy everyone.

He could hear the aching too, on the bad days. There was one instance where Lance started singing about home, but got choked up and couldn't continue. As soon as they got back to the castle, Hunk pulled him into a hug and took him to his room, where he didn't come until the day after.

It was scary, almost, how familiar Lance's voice was to Keith now, even though they still weren't really close. Keith arguably knew more about the _way_ Lance was, than who he was. And slowly, he started to realise he wanted to learn that, and everything else about Lance too.

* * *

Lance had somehow acquired a guitar at the space mall, and suddenly their music sessions in the lions extended to the lounge of the castle too. With the instrument, an extra layer was added to their songs, and Keith started to fall for Lance more.

The thing about being in the lions was that they never actually saw each other as they sang. Now that they were in the same room, everything was on display. Lance sat at the centre of the room on the sofa, the Paladins and Alteans on either side of him. Keith wasn't sure where to go, considering he didn't really participate, but Shiro pushed him to the space directly next to Lance, on his left. Keith glared at the man he considered his brother, contemplating all his life choices, but he only smiled in response. Keith hadn't even told Shiro about his feelings, and when he asked him about it later, he was told it was 'just that obvious'.

Keith could no longer be mad, however, when the music started. It was nice hearing everyone sing in the same room, even Allura and Coran's voices could be heard, thanks to the team teaching them a few songs. The lights had been dimmed, and a candle-like object placed in the middle. The atmosphere was very casual, so relaxed that Keith found himself mouthing along to the songs he knew.

He froze when he felt Lance's gaze on him, though. He had been purposely avoiding turning to his right, too afraid of what he might see, already overwhelmed by Lance's voice being so close to him. He made the right choice. When Keith finally looked at Lance properly, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

What drew his attention first was the strumming. Or rather, Lance's long, slender fingers pressing on the fretboard and plucking the strings. He wondered, in the back of his mind, what it would feel like if those fingers were wrapped around his, and became flustered at the thought of holding hands with the Blue Paladin.

Face heated, Keith decided to look away from Lance's hands. His eyes flicked up on instinct, and he made direct eye contact with Lance.

Keith had always known Lance was attractive, but there was something otherworldly about the way he looked when he played guitar and sung. He was full of confidence and self-assurance, and the smirk on his face when he noticed Keith's blush showed it. It only served to make Keith blush more, but he was determined not to break the eye contact, taking it as a challenge almost.

He came to regret this decision when Lance realised what was going on, and started to provoke him. He shifted in his seat, and Keith thought he was going to turn the other way, but he moved towards Keith. He came closer and closer, which made Keith want to lean back, but he wasn't going to lose. Finally, after their noses nearly made contact, Lance pulled back.

The smirk on Lance's face was replaced with an easy smile, as he moved onto a new song. This one was a lot more different to the rest. Where the ones before were a lot more upbeat and about believing in oneself or the power of teamwork, this new one was more mellow, and had lyrics that were blatantly romantic. Lance sung these words while directly looking into Keith's eyes, and Keith hadn't even noticed before but everyone else's voices had faded out.

Each word Lance spoke went directly to his heart; it made him feel like they were _for_ him, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. Nothing else mattered in this moment; there was only him, Lance, his guitar, and his sweet voice.

Later, Keith would find out that the song Lance sung had been composed and written by himself, and was always intended for him. It would knock all the air out of Keith to fill him with something that made him feel more alive and connected with the world than he ever was, and he would make sure to thank Lance for that, for all that he did, for just existing, starting with a thousand kisses.

For now though, Keith was dealing with this crush that just seemed to keep on growing. Neither him nor Lance had looked away, but the winner was clear. And Keith was more than okay with it. So long as it made Lance look at him like this, speak to him like this, he would give up all the victories in the world.

* * *

After Lance and Keith started dating, an event Keith had trouble believing at the start, Lance would play songs for him and for him _only_.

They went on dates whenever they could, on the various planets they visited if they had spare time, but their relationship was mostly confined to the Castle of Lions. The observatory deck was one of their favourite places, they enjoyed looking at the stars while holding one another, but they spent a lot of time in Lance's room. It was a lot more comfortable sitting on a bed than a cold flat surface, at least.

A lot of the time, Lance pulled out his guitar and started playing. Sometimes he would sing, other times he didn't. Sometimes he sang pretty tunes that made Keith melt into the covers, other times he sang serenades which ended with him laughing on his back and Keith throwing pillows at him. Regardless of which it was, Lance seemed to genuinely enjoy it. Keith realised he had a legitimate passion for this.

"How do you know how to play?" Keith found himself asking one time.

"Well," Lance started, whilst tuning his guitar, "I learned. Fine, stop glaring at me! For as long as I can remember, my family had singing nights. Like what we do in the lounge. We would all sit together and just jam. It was all acoustic, no instruments, except for my dad tapping against his leg or the floor to make beats. One time, when I was maybe six or seven, we came across these buskers. One of them had a guitar, and I was so amazed by the way she created the melody others sung to. I then begged my parents for a guitar of my own, and started taking lessons.

"I wasn't good at the start, of course, but I remember bringing it out for the first time and playing it for my family. Even though I was just plucking the strings, they all cheered me on like I had played something amazing. It made me feel immensely happy, so I vowed to get better as quickly as I could, so I could play properly for my family. And from then on, whenever we had family nights, I'd bring out my guitar and start strumming along to whatever my family members were singing."

Lance spoke casually, looking down at his instrument, and Keith just watched him, wonderstruck. He really had no idea how selfless he was. Keith then smiled, when he pictured a little Lance holding a guitar, beaming with pride at his family's words.

"Did you write stuff for them too?" Ever since that first song, Keith had wondered when Lance started composing his own pieces.

"Yeah, that's how I started. I wanted to make songs just for our family, that we could all sing together. But my own stuff… It's mostly an outlet, for me. When I can't find a song to play which sums up whatever mood I'm going through, I make my own. A lot of them never see the light of day though." Lance paused for a moment, before looking at Keith and continuing, "Except the ones for you, of course." He finished with a wink, and may as well have finished Keith too. He would never get used to this kind of attention.

Once his blush subsided, Keith was reminded of his own instrument, and how he too used it to get through hard times. Lance had played one chord, when Keith almost blurted, "I play too."

That startled Lance. His lost his grip on the guitar, but didn't make an attempt to adjust it. Instead, he held it out for Keith to take.

"No," Keith shook his head, "I don't mean the guitar. I, um, had a kalimba?" He wasn't sure why he felt so bashful saying it. Lance set his guitar aside, and moved to sit beside him. Only after Lance placed a comforting hand on his back, did Keith realise his voice came out shaky.

"I don't know if it was my mum or dad, but one of them used to play the kalimba to me when I was a baby. It was practically my lullaby. And after they were both gone… I wanted to learn how to play, so I could hold onto that piece of them. I didn't—The kalimba that belonged to my parents was lost, or destroyed, and I had no way of buying my own, so I made them. I taught myself the tunes I recalled them playing, and I always had it with me when I was thinking. When Kerberos happened, and I moved to that desert shack, I probably played it every day while trying to figure out that signal." Keith looked down at his fingers, trying to remember the feel of metal beneath them. It had been so long.

"If you had this musical side to you, how come you never joined us?" Lance's voice was soft, and Keith was now looking at Lance's hand instead of his own. The boy had gently taken a hold of them.

"Mostly… I felt like I couldn't share that side of myself. It was something so personal to me, and I guess I thought that I'd lose a part of my parents if I let you guys know. It's stupid. Sorry."

Instead of replying, Lance put a hand under Keith's chin and lifted it so they were looking at each other.

"Hey," Lance brushed a section of Keith's hair behind his ear, "don't apologise for that. It's entirely up to you, whether you want us to see this side of you. But," Lance sat up on his knees to place a kiss on his forehead, "thank you for telling me. And, one day, if you're willing, I would love to hear you play."

Keith nodded slightly, then moved closer to Lance so he could wrap his arms around his torso. Suddenly, he had a desire to be held. Lance, of course, got the message.

And with Lance's arms around him, Keith felt more certain of his place in this world. He knew that there was someone who made him feel safe and secure, and for that someone, he knew he would upturn the universe.

* * *

The first time Keith met Lance's family after coming back to Earth was on one of those music nights. Keith had a feeling Lance did it on purpose, but his boyfriend just played dumb when he asked.

He was a bundle of nerves, because he'd never met anyone's family before, let alone a _significant other's _family. He had no clue how to act. Lance reassured him countless times that it would be fine, and he didn't have to be so anxious, but of course he would say that. It was his own family! The only similar kind of experience Keith ever had was with Adam, but he was on the other end. And he didn't even love Adam at first; he thought he was taking Shiro away from him, even though they had been together long before he ever entered the equation. When he told Lance this, the former Paladin had the audacity to laugh, then pat Keith's arm as if it was meant to be comforting.

"Oh, Keith. That's adorable. But you were also like, what, maybe ten or twelve? And I'm sure that even if they don't like you at first, they'll come around. You did with Adam, didn't you?" Keith gave a non-committal response. That was true, but he didn't want to have that period of waiting. He just really wanted to make a good first impression. He knew this was important to Lance.

As if reading his mind, Lance stopped in his tracks to face Keith. He leaned forwards to press their lips together, lightly, before saying, "Just trust me, please?"

"Always."

Keith's response was immediate, his tone resolute. He trusted Lance more than anyone; he had full confidence in him; he knew that he could rely on him. Lance appeared delighted by his reply, and kissed Keith once more before continuing walking.

As Lance had promised, it wasn't bad at all. Everyone was really pleasant, and Keith even felt comfortable around the kids. He was still quite reserved, only speaking when he was asked a question, but by the end of dinner he could feel himself warming up to these people. Then, it was time to sing.

At that point, some of the awkwardness Keith felt had returned. Dinner was one thing, but as he followed the family outside to a circle of logs with a small fire blazing in the middle, he couldn't help but feel like he was intruding. Lance couldn't just stay back and keep him company either, he had to play the guitar. Besides, Keith had been looking forward to watching Lance like this, in his element. He hoped that maybe Rachel would sit with him at the very end of the logs—because of the closeness in age they got along quite well, but she was just as enthusiastic as her brother, taking the spot right next to him.

In the end, it was Lisa who joined Keith. He was comforted by it immediately, as she too would've been new to this once. When Lance's dad started clapping out a beat, she turned to smile at him, the expression so warm Keith couldn't help but give a small smile of his own back. Then, she jerked her head towards the front, hinting for Keith to look at Lance.

The only thing that went through Keith's mind when he laid eyes upon his boyfriend was, _He is the sun_.

Lance sat directly across from Keith, the fire halfway between them. The light from the flames illuminated the guitarist, giving him a glow. His brightness was enough to rival the moon in the night sky. Except, there was no real competition. Lance was the obvious winner.

He wasn't just physically radiating though. It was also in his actions—the way he played his instrument with his eyes closed, the way the corners of his lips lifted when he heard a new voice start to sing. It was the way Lance was at the centre of it all. He really was the star in the heart of this solar system, made up of his dearest family members, and now, Keith.

When it was time for Lance's solo, he finally opened his eyes. And when he did, they immediately landed on Keith. The situation felt strangely familiar, and Keith realised why when he remembered that time in the Castle of Lions, the first time Lance sung his own song for Keith. Just like then, Keith couldn't look away. But it was no longer a contest. He wanted to see every detail of his boyfriend, the fondness in his eyes, and the affection he hoped was reflected in his own.

It seemed like forever ago now, however Keith's feelings hadn't changed.

In fact, in this very moment, he had fallen in love all over again.

* * *

On Keith's first birthday after the war, Lance got him a kalimba. A proper one, so that they could "duet" now. Because neither of them had brought up the topic again following that night, it came as a surprise. Keith froze after he unwrapped the gift. He carefully took it out of the wrapping paper and ran his thumb across the keys, feeling the wood in the palm of his hand. When he looked up again, he saw Lance wearing a nervous expression, and realised he hadn't said anything yet.

"Sorry, I was just—I've never held an actual one before. Thank you. Thank you so much."

Keith hugged Lance, and felt him relax underneath him. He peeked his eyes open to look at the instrument he still held his hands, realised something, then pulled back.

"You're going to have to teach me a lot of the basics, though. I have no music knowledge whatsoever."

At this, Lance _gleamed_. He took the kalimba, played a few notes, then looked back up at Keith with playfulness in his eyes.

"The student becomes the master. I like it."

"Was I ever the teacher in the first place though?"

"For sure! You taught me how to fight," Lance walked to Keith's side, "how to be strong," he continued behind him to the other side, "how to survive." Keith followed the movement with his head, and now Lance was in front of him again. "Inadvertently or not, you've made me a better person." He leaned forwards to kiss Keith, and he smiled into it.

When they pulled apart, their foreheads touched, and Keith whispered into the space between them, "You've made me not want to survive anymore. You make me want to live."

* * *

By now, Keith had been to numerous music nights, and was no longer daunted by the thought of it. He even sat next to Lance, joining in more often than not, grooving to the sweet melodies in the air. He would sing while looking his boyfriend in the eyes for one song, then bump shoulders with Rachel and make funny actions with Nadia and Sylvio for the next.

On this one occasion though, after a piece, Lance halted the vibrating strings of his guitar, and silence fell over everyone. He turned to Keith, and asked gently, "Play with me?"

It caught Keith off guard, and with everyone's eyes now on him, he felt exposed and vulnerable. He'd become a lot more open with Lance's family over time, he felt very comfortable and had his walls down, but this… This was a side to himself he'd never shown _anyone_, save for Lance. However, when he looked at Lance, despite the understanding expression he wore, he could see the hope in his eyes. He thought of how Lance practically learnt how to play the kalimba in order to teach him, and every other way he had been so supportive. He thought of the hospitality Lance's family had shown him, and decided it was time to give back. So he agreed. Except, there was a problem.

"I don't have it with me," Keith whispered to Lance, not wanting to create a scene.

"Oh, you do." Lance reached behind himself, and produced Keith's kalimba. "I brought it with me, but didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry about it."

Keith took it, gently flicking the tines without playing any sounds, and gulped. There were a lot of people here. He suddenly felt really nervous.

"Hey," came Lance's reassuring voice, "just keep your eyes on me. You play whatever tune you're comfortable with, and I'll join in. Okay?"

"Okay," Keith nodded.

He looked down at his kalimba once, then back up at Lance.

_Just keep your eyes on him_.

He took in a deep breath, then, with trembling fingers, started to play.

It was a pretty basic song, but one with a unique melody. Lance started accompanying him a few bars in, playing the guitar softly, so as not to take the limelight from Keith. Then, the voices of Lance's family slowly joined in, but Lance kept his eyes on Keith the whole time, nodding encouragingly, mouthing along to the words with a smile on his face. Keith also kept watching Lance, with the occasional flick down to make sure his fingers were on the right keys. His heart beat loud and hard in his chest, but he wouldn't let it affect him. He wasn't going to falter now. He ignored the sensation and powered on, note by note.

In the end, after his final note faded out, nothingness followed. The only sounds that could be heard were the flickering flames of the fire. Then, someone started clapping.

Keith startled; he'd forgotten others were present. And when he turned, he saw that the whole family was clapping. Some were cheering too, yelling out compliments, and Keith believed this was what Lance described ages ago, of his family making him feel so very gratified. He felt it now, even though his face burned under all the attention—his chest swelled with pride.

Beside him, Lance subtly gestured with his hand, indicating for him to take a bow. Keith stood up, then grabbed Lance's hand to pull him up as well. Before he could protest, Keith bent his upper body downwards, forcing him to follow suit. He wasn't going to let Lance not take any credit for this performance. Lance seemed to accept the situation after, and held up their arms together almost like a victory pose, which garnered another round of applause.

Then, Keith turned to his boyfriend, and bowed to him as well. There were so many things he wanted to thank him for, but for now, this would suffice.

* * *

Later, back in the house, Keith was getting the living room back in order. He and Lance played with the kids and made a bit of a mess, and didn't have time to clean it up before it was time to go outside. When he picked up a throw pillow to put back on the couch, he saw a hand extended out for it in his peripheral vision. He stood up, and handed it over to Lance's brother.

"Hey," the man began while placing the pillow in its rightful spot, "that was super nice."

Keith took the other pillow and replied when he was next to Marco. "Thanks."

"You're good! And to think we all thought you were so shy when we first met you. It takes a lot to play for a group of people like that, so I should be thanking _you_."

The words made Keith laugh bashfully. He was horrible at taking compliments, so naturally, he deflected. "Lance is a lot better than me though."

"Yeah, but he's been at it for longer than you." Marco then moved closer to Keith so he could continue at a whisper, "Speaking of, you should've seen the way he was looking at you, dude."

"I was, though? I had my eyes on him the whole time." He wouldn't have been able to get through it otherwise.

"Sure," Marco waved his argument off, "but you couldn't see what we saw. He looked at you like you hung the moon or something. It was kinda gross, he is _not_ subtle, but hey, I'm glad my lil bro found someone like you."

As soon as Marco said those words, Keith looked over to where Lance was helping his mum, singing with her and shaking his hips, and felt all of his features soften. There was an overwhelming sense of endearment in his heart, and without knowing it, he had started smiling.

He was snapped out of his reverie when Marco spoke again, telling him, "Man, you're just as bad. Just wait until Rachel hears this…" And with that, he was gone.

Taking his place was Lance. He sauntered up to Keith, then snaked an arm around his waist, bending at the knees a bit so he could tilt his face up at him in an adorable way. Keith chuckled at the cute expression, then leaned down to peck his lips.

Once Lance straightened up, he pulled Keith onto the sofa with him.

"So, what were you gossiping about with Marco?"

Keith hummed, pretending to think, then stated, in a nonchalant tone, "Nothing much. Just that you think I'm _so_ amazing."

When Lance started blushing, he smirked. Lance pouted and crossed his arms, turning his head, refusing to look at Keith. Keith only got him to meet his eyes when he lay on his lap. He raised an arm to rest his hand on Lance's cheek, and schooled his features so he could continue, sincerely, "And that I think you are just as awesome, if not more."

And the way Lance lit up could brighten the darkest of skies.

* * *

"What is so important that you have to drag me out to the middle of nowhere to show me?"

Lance trudged behind Keith, who was still having to tug at him to make him move. A lot of this could've been avoided if Keith had just told Lance what was happening, but it was a surprise. Besides, he was so nervous right now he wasn't sure he could speak. He simply continued deeper into the park, which, was really not in the middle of nowhere. Once he was finally satisfied with the area they were in and sat them down, however, he understood where Lance's words came from.

They were at a clearance in the middle of a mini-forest. It was entirely serene—there were no other people in sight, and the only sounds in the air were that of the birds chirping and leaves rustling. With all the green around them, it was also a lot cooler than the areas they had walked through to get here. Lance shivered in his jacket and rubbed his hands up and down his arms to warm them. Keith sat down and pat the space in front of him, but Lance hesitated.

"Keith… What are you… You're not going to kill me on my birthday, are you? This is kind of creepy."

"What?!" Lance's ridiculous statement got rid of all the anxiousness in Keith's body for a moment. "Would you just—Sit."

Finally, Lance got to the ground, crossing his legs. He stayed silent, waiting for Keith, and all the restlessness Keith had been feeling suddenly rushed back. It was harder to deal with now that he was sitting still, but he willed himself to remain calm. He'd rehearsed this many times; he got feedback from Lance's parents; he knew what he was doing. He took in a deep breath and exhaled it all from his mouth, then started.

"You've played me so many songs throughout this relationship, Lance. And so many of them were your own. I can't begin to describe the way it makes me feel, to know that each lyric has been written directly for me, and I knew I would never be able to tell you in words, so…"

Keith took out his kalimba, and saw Lance's eyes widen.

"I wrote something of my own. This has been a long time coming, and it's nowhere near perfect, but I hope it carries across everything I've been wanting to tell you for a while. It's called _'Bonding moments'_, which means you can't keep denying that it happened because, uh, it did, and now it's in song form."

With Lance's gentle laughter in the background, Keith counted the first few beats in his head. Then, he started to play. And after some bars had passed, he began to sing.

"_Hey pretty boy_

_with the blue eyes _

_and the golden smile,_

_did you know that _

_you changed my life?_

…

_And with that hazy purple_

_all around us_

_I felt my heart beat again_

_for the first time. _

…

_All the things you_

_make me feel I _

_can't describe but,_

_I know_

_that I am the_

_luckiest person _

_in the world. _

…

_So here's to _

_the boy whom _

_I consider home,_

_I hope you know Lance_

_that I love you _

_forevermore."_

* * *

**A/N: **btw ellipses are just ellipted verses/parts etc I struggled to write what was already there I was _not_ about to do an entire song

but I hope you enjoyed reading this! I had a lot of fun writing it the creative juices were really flowing out of me and all I can say is... klance's impact 😩 (cries i love them and miss them so much...)


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